Daytona wires field to take Hollywood Derby

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Inglewood, CA (Sports Network) - Daytona, ridden by Mike Smith, went wire to wire to capture Sunday's $500,000 Hollywood Derby and denied even-money favorite Nobiz Like Shobiz a return to the winner's circle. A victory by the favorite would have given his trainer two straight in this event.

Last year Barclay Tagg won the Hollywood Derby with Showing Up and everything pointed to Nobiz Like Shobiz winning the 1 1/4 mile turf race. The three-year- old won the first three turf races he entered and was fourth in the Breeders' Cup Mile.

Daytona was coming off a win in the Oak Tree Derby on the turf at Santa Anita Park. Sent off at 5-1, the three-year-old gelding took the lead at the start and never relinquished it.

Nobiz Like Shobiz and jockey Javier Castellano was third on the turn for home, but had nothing down the stretch.

Trained by Dan Hendricks, Daytona won by a half-length over Medici Code followed by Bold Hawk and Twilight Meteor in the 10 horse field. The time was 1:59.75 on a firm turf course.

Completing the order of finish was Mostacolli Mort, Ten a Penny, Worldly, Nobiz Like Shobiz, Warning Zone and Augment

Daytona picks up $300,000 with Sunday's victory to bring his career earnings to $461,390. In his first year of racing he has won four of 10 starts. His first three races were in Great Britain.

Daytona returned $13.20, $7.40 and $5.40. Medici Code paid $11.40 and $7.00, and Bold Hawk paid $4.00 to show.

Earlier in the $500,000 Matriarch Stakes. Precious Kitten gave trainer Bobby Frankel his fourth straight win in the race and Frankel's eighth Matriarch victory in the last 11 runnings.

Under jockey Rafael Bejarano, Precious Kitten stalked the leader Live Lite up the backstretch with 6-5 favorite Wait a While in third. Precious Kitten took over the lead coming off the final turn as Wait a While and rider Garrett Gomez began their move.

Precious Kitten prevailed by 1 1/4 lengths over Todd Pletcher's Wait a While with Lady of Venice finishing third. Rounding out the finish was Live Life, Dance Away Capote and Naissance Royale.

The time for the mile was 1:33.63 on the firm turf course.

Owned by Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey, Precious Kitten has won seven of 19 career starts. The Matriarch win was worth $300,000 to bring her lifetime earnings to more than $1.4 million.

Precious Kitten won both the Palomar and John C. Mabee Handicaps this summer at Del Mar to go with her victory in the Gallorette at Pimlico in May. She was coming off a sixth place finish in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf behind Lahudood.

Precious Kitten paid $7.60, $3.20 and $2.40. Wait a While returned $2.80 and $2.10, and Lady of Venice paid $2.80 to show.